Magnetic weatherstrip assembly for thresholds



Sept. 23, 1952 E. J. GREGORY MAGNETIC WEATHERSTRIP ASSEMBLY FORTHRESHOLDS Filed May 18, 1951 INVENTOR. EUGENE .vJ. GQEGO/QZ BY I 774172402, GTTUE/VEYS Patented Sept. 23, 1952 UNITED STATES r MAGNETICWEATHERSTRI'P ASSEMBLY FOR THRESHOLDS Eugene J Gregory, Seattle, Wash.

Application May 18, 1951 Serial No. 226,972

3 Claims.

The present invention relates to a magnetic Weatherstrip assembly for athreshold.

An object of the present invention is to provide a magnetic Weatherstripassembly in which there is a fixed Weatherstrip element and acooperating Weatherstrip element movably connected to the fixed element.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a magneticWeatherstrip assembly wherein the movable Weatherstrip element is causedto be shifted into engagement with the door bottom under the magneticinfluence of magnets installed. in the door bottom.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a magneticWeatherstrip assembly which is simple in construction, inexpensive tomanufacture and install, and highly efiective and efiicient in use.

Other and further objects of the present invention will become apparentfrom the following description taken in conjunction with theaccompanying drawing, in which:

Figure l is a fragmentary perspective view showing a door in closedposition over the wooden threshold with the magnetic Weatherstripassembly of the present invention operatively connected to the door andthreshold.

Figure'2 is a sectional view taken on the line 2-2 of Figure 1, the fulllines indicating the position of the movable Weatherstrip element withthe door in the closed position of Figure 1 and the dotted linesindicating the position of the such movable element when the door hasbeen swung to open position and away from the threshold.

Figure 3 is an exploded perspective view showing a fragmentary bottomportion of the door and of the individual components comprising theWeatherstrip assembly of the present invention. Referring to thedrawings, the numeral I0 designates an upstanding door which is movableinto and out of position over'a wooden threshold As shown in Figure l,the door H] has been moved into its position over the threshold H, andto the door and threshold is operatively connected the magneticWeatherstrip assembly of the present invention. For the accommodation ofone of the components of the aforesaid assembly the bottom of the doorI0, Figure 3,

has been cut away inwardly from its inner face |2 to a point short ofits outer face I3. The cut away portion of the door bottom is providedwith a plurality of spaced slots l4 extending inwardly from the doorbottom, and in each slot is disposed a magnet It, the magnet beingfixedly held in its respective slot by-means of an attaching plate I6which bridgesthe bottom of the slot and is attached to the adjacentportion ofthe door bottom by means of screws passing through holes l8provided in the plate 16'.

A strip. N3 of yieldable material, another component of the assembly ofthe present invention, extends across the entire-bottom of the cut outportion of the door and covers the attaching plateslfi. Specifically,the strip I9 is fabricated of rubber and has a binding strip 20 aroundeach of its longitudinal edges. 1

The remaining components of the assembly of the present inventioninclude a fixed weatherstrip. .element and a cooperating"Weatherstripelement movably connected to the fixed ele-'- ment. The fixed element isdesignatedby 'the numeral 2| and is termed a first Weatherstrip element,the element 2| being arranged longitudinally of the threshold I I andhas one side-overlying and fixed to one side of the threshold.Specifically, the oneside of the element 2| is provided with an apron 22which overlies and 'is fixed to the one side of the threshold by meansofscrews or the like 23; A first hook 24 extends along the other side ofthe element 2| and faces the fixed side or apron 22. of the elementZ Thecooperating metal Weatherstrip element'is designated by thenumeral 25and is termed'a second Weatherstrip element, the element 25 beingarranged longitudinally of the threshold II inwardly of the firstelement 2| and is pivotally connected along one side to the other sideof the first element 2| for vertical up and down movement. Specifically,a second hook 26 extends along one side of the second element 25 andfaces the first hook 24, the second hook 26 interengaging with the firsthook 24 and pivotally connecting the second element 25 along one side tothe other side of the first element 2| for vertical up and downmovement.

In operation, it will be apparent that as the door I6 is in its positionover the threshold H, the free or other side of the metal Weatherstripelement 25 will be attracted by the magnets IE, to thereby causevertical upward movement of the Weatherstrip element 25 into engagementwith the strip l9 and form an effective sealing of the spaceintermediate the door bottom and the threshold. Upon movement of thedoor to its position away from the threshold II, the attraction of themagnets I9 is broken, resulting in vertical downward movement of theWeatherstrip element 25 to the position indicated in dotted lines inFigure 2 and consequent movement of the 3 free or other side of theWeatherstrip element 25 out of engagement with the strip l9.

What is claimed is:

1. The combination with a threshold and an upstanding door movable intoand out of position over said threshold, the bottom of said door havinga portion cut away inwardly from the inner face of the door to a pointshort of the outer face of the door, of a magnetic Weatherstrip assemblyoperatively connected to said threshold and door, said assemblycomprising a first Weatherstrip element arranged longitudinally of saidthreshold and having one side overlying and fixed to one side of saidthreshold, a second metallic Weatherstrip element arrangedlongitudinally of said threshold inwardly of said firstelement andpivotally connected along one side to the other side of said firstelement for vertical upward and downward movement, a strip of yieldablematerial covering the cut away portion of the bottom of said door, andmagnetic means in said door above said strip operable upon movement ofsaid door into its position over said threshold to cause vertical upwardmovement'of said second Weatherstrip element into engagement with saidstrip.

2. The combination with a threshold and an upstanding door movable intoand out of position over said threshold, the bottom of said door havinga portion cut away inwardly from the inner face of the door to a pointshort of the outer face of the door, of a, magnetic weatherstripassembly operatively connected to said threshold and door, said assemblycomprising a first Weatherstrip element arranged longitudinally of saidthreshold and having one side over lying and fixed to one side of saidthreshold, a first hook extending along the other side of said firstelement and facing the fixed side of said element, a second metallicWeatherstrip element arranged longitudinally of said threshold inwardlyof said first Weatherstrip element, a secyieldable material covering thecut away portion 4 of the bottom of said door, and magnetic means insaid door above said strip operable upon movement of said door into itsposition over said threshold to cause vertical upward movement of saidsecond Weatherstrip element into engagement with said strip.

3. The combination with a threshold and an upstanding door movable intoand out of position over said threshold, the bottom of said door havinga portion cut away inwardly from the inner face of the door to a pointshort of the other face of the door, said door having a plurality ofspaced slots extending inwardly from the cut away portion of the bottomthereof, of a magnetic Weatherstrip assembly operatively connected tosaid threshold and door, said assembly comprising a first Weatherstripelement arranged longitudinally of said threshold and having one sideoverlying and fixed to one side of said threshold, a, first hookextending along the other side of said element and facing the fixed sideof said first element, a second metallic Weatherstrip element arrangedlongitudinally of said threshold inwardly of said first Weatherstripelement, a second hook extending along one side of said secondWeatherstrip element and facing said first hook, said second hookinterengaging with said first hook and pivotally connecting said secondWeatherstrip element along one side to the other side of said firstWeatherstrip element for vertical upward and downward movement, a stripof yieldable material covering the cut away portion of the bottom' ofsaid door, and magnets fixedly held in the slots in said'door andoperable upon movement of said door into its position over saidthreshold to cause vertical upward movement of said second Weatherstripelement into engagement with said strip.

EUGENE J. GREGORY.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 636,165 Napier Oct. 31, 1899991,597 Barber May 9, 1911 1,993,506 Fauner Mar. 5, 1935 2,471,634 Market a1 May 31, 1949

